A topic I have never seen discussed before is the matter of the corpse of a mighty dragon and it's final resting place.

I don't recall reading anything of it so please advise.

I imagine a creature as large as Smaug whose ruin was smote upon Laketown,

Full on the town he fell. His last throes splintered it to sparks and gledes. The lake roared in. A vast steam leaped up, white in the sudden dark under the moon. There was a hiss, a gushing whirl, and then silence. And that was the end of Smaug and Esgaroth, but not of Bard.

So in modern terms, Smaug was flash steamed, similar to the way they do McDonald's french fry potatoes when they flash steam the skin causing it to explode from the body of the potato.

Then the potato is shot down a tube at high speed into a cross grate that slices it into a couple dozen fries, similar to what might happen if a large Dragon were to fall into the jutting piers and splintering planks of a wooden lake town.

Large and small bits and pieces of ancient dragon wood splinters and wood charcoals and ash including all manner of steamed commodities, foodstuffs, ale produce, leathers, sewage... this list may go on.

I might think that the area would be somewhat blighted. Especially in the first year or two after the fall. And possibly so even five years down the line.The local ecosystem of the lake could be disrupted for years.

And resting on the floor of the lake, a king's ransom of jewels and gems that were embedded in Smaug's scales.

In my opinion, Smaug might just as soon landed on the Moon.

However, enterprising and resourceful players, most new to Middle Earth role playing think it might be a great idea to seine up the mud to see what might turn up.

After all, Dragon bones are always good for something or other in a fantasy world, not to mention glittering baubles amidst the detritus.

No telling what nastiness might be able to survive such an environment though, just saying....

Venger I just need to comment that was one of the most amusing posts I've ever read on a game forum, and certainly the best one concerning Dragon death throes.

Hehe thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it, It was meant to be tongue in cheek

Definitely should be a blighted area.

Good post! Very amusing, and visual.

Now someone has to write a noir scenario where hard-boiled adventurers get entangled in an intrigue involving dark Lake-Town alleys, corrupt officials who once served the Master of the Lake-Town, plots against King Bard, and immoral, but incredibly wealthy and influential merchants dealing in pieces of the dragon corpse.

Now I cant get that song by the potion salesman's in Pete's Dragon out of my head....

The rich would know well enough to stay away. The poor, disenfranchised, or someone who owes a lot of money would be compelled to venture into the filth against their better judgment to find a gem.

I imagine it to be like venturing into a site with toxic waste. I'm just thinking about Glaurung. His blood was black and called venom. It caused major anguish to Turin. I wonder how Smaug's blood and body would effect the lake.

Also this fascinating article;

http://m.cnbc.com//id/100352038/The_Economics_of_Smaug

I'm thinking dragon burgers.

If it helps at all - we sort of discussed Smaug's remains in a previous thread:
Lm Screen Artwork, Dragon down! Dragon down! http://cubicle7.clicdev.com/f/index.php?act=ST&f=33&t=3740
It touched on the idea of enterprising types attempting to profit from Smaug's 'corpse' (as inspired by Jon Hodgson's LM Screen artwork).

I believe an earlier thread (can't find it just now.... or maybe I conceived it but never posted it!) also toyed with the possibilities if The Gibbet King possessed the corpse of Smaug.

Check out The Dragon's Ring in my sig for just such an idea!

Robin S.